Nonstop flight route between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States and Smolensk, Russia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR), Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States and Smolensk South Airport (LNX), Smolensk, Russia would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,539 miles (or 7,305 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Kincheloe Air Force Base and Smolensk South Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Kincheloe Air Force Base and Smolensk South Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR):

• As a result of the phase down, ADC moved the 438th Fighter Interceptor Squadron to Griffiss AFB, New York.
• Kinross was considered a vital Air Defense Command base, an alert-status military base equipped with interceptors ready 24/7 to respond to unknown aircraft picked up by Ground Control Radar stations in the Great Lakes region.
• In November, 1961, following two years of construction, the 4239th Strategic Wing of the Strategic Air Command arrived with B-52 bombers.
• The closest airport to Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR) is Chippewa County International Airport (CIU), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) N of INR.
• The furthest airport from Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,103 miles (17,869 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Flying out of Kinross in 1953, pilot Felix Moncla and his plane disappeared while pursuing a UFO over the Soo Locks and Lake Superior.
• Despite the loss of approximately 10,000 personnel living in the area, the base has been successfully redeveloped since closing.
• The mission of Kinross AAF was to serve as a refueling stop for aircraft headed for Alaska as well as to defend the locks of Sault Ste.

Facts about Smolensk South Airport (LNX):

• In addition to being known as "Smolensk South Airport", other names for LNX include "Smolensk-Yuzhniy", "Смоленск-Южный" and "UUBS".
• Smolensk South Airport (LNX) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Smolensk South Airport (LNX) is Mogilev Airport (MVQ), which is located 96 miles (155 kilometers) WSW of LNX.
• The furthest airport from Smolensk South Airport (LNX) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,961 miles (17,640 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Smolensk South Airport's relatively low elevation of 725 feet, planes can take off or land at Smolensk South Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.